…By staying at least 26 more months, Mulally reassures some investors who had been concerned about losing the man credited with saving the U.S. automaker without a federal bailout or bankruptcy. His lingering presence, however, could raise questions about who's in charge and leave Fields exposed to offers to become a CEO elsewhere, said Paul Hodgson, chief research analyst at GMI Ratings, which advises investors on corporate governance. "This is an awful long time for Mulally to pass the flame to Fields," said Hodgson, who is based in Portland, Maine. "It increases the risk that someone like GM, looking for a new CEO, might try to steal him away if he gets tired of waiting."